Yusupov Palace Tour

Uncover the secrets and refined taste of Russian nobility on our highly informative and engrossing St. Petersburg Tour of Yuspov Palace.

During your Yuspov Palace tour, one of the city’s most grand and richly-decorated sites, you will have a look at what was once a dwelling place of the Yusupovs. The family’s wealth matched that of the Romanovs, whilst their scheming was an object lesson in political machinations and guile.

It was also at the palace that some of the world’s finest pieces of art were collected and the murder of one of Russian history's most controversial figures, Grigory Rasputin, took place.

Important information

Please book as far in advance as possible. Booking last minute may not be possible (especially between May - September) or may result in a higher price per tour.

To visit the Rasputin-dedicated exhibition it is necessary to book an optional tour.

Tour Highlights

Yusupov Garden

Majestic Yusupov Palace Halls

Yusupov Palace Theatre

Yusupovs

Rasputin-devoted Exhibition (optionally - upon request)

Tour Details

There are few palaces in St. Petersburg as pleasing to the eye as Yusupov’s one. Rebuilt multiple times, it acquired its present interior and exterior appearance in mid-19th century upon the purchase by the Yusupovs, a family of old Russian nobility. It has boasted ever since some of the city’s best interior designs and an exquisitely beautiful facade.

The inside features truly dazzling opulence: notably impressive are the theatre where some of the epoch’s most engaging drama was staged and halls which showcase some of the most chic furnishings and truly stunning views.

The noble owners of the palace being one of the richest and most influential in the Russian Empire’s history, the palace was famed for its extravagant and fashionable soirees and political intrigue. But, arguably, what has perpetuated the fame of the site was a grisly crime.

It is here that a murder of court-monk Grigoriy Rasputin took place. The murder has often been seen as a reason for the downfall of the Russian Autocracy, Rasputin being a vehement opponent of Russia’s participation in WW1, one of the causes of the October Revolution.

After the triumph of the Bolshevik insurgency, the palace’s fortune was by and large good. It has been given to Education Commissariat, which resulted in most of the interiors having been kept unchanged. Nevertheless, the family’s copious collection of art, said to be one of the world’s finest, has been largely handed over to the St. Petersburg museums.

St. Petersburg Tour by Russian Travel Agency Pradiz includes the palace’s magnificent halls, where once the city’s high society met. Also to be seen are Yusupov Palace Theatre featuring work-of-art loges and ceiling, built for the family’s use and now a venue for public performances; and one of the city’s most picturesque gardens, where Rasputin was wounded fatally.

Keep in mind that also available an optional visit to the Rasputin-centered exhibition (Yusupov Palace Rasputin tour) with life-size replicas of the assassins and a chance to look deeper into the murder, which is located inside the cellar where the arduous process of killing Rasputin began.

Both excursions include the services of expert St. Petersburg Tour Guides.